They’re in the money

The last campaign contribution reports before Election Day show the status quo remains for local politics, with conservatives amassing great gobs of money compared to their progressive opponents. The big sums for the conservatives come in fewer but heftier donations, while the progressives have a greater number of contributors giving skimpier quantities.

Figures recorded before the Nov. 5 election reveal that Rick Keene’s blitz toward the state Assembly has collected $293,776, including a $100,000 self-loan and contributions of $3,000 from Phillip Morris tobacco company, $3,000 from the Gun Owners of California, $2,000 from Sierra Pacific Industries, $1,000 from Wal-Mart out of Bentonville, Ark., and $1,750 from Pacific Lumber Company.

Keene has spent $272,992 of the money he’s raised on his campaign thus far.

Keene’s Democratic opponent, Stuart King, meanwhile, has raised the exceedingly modest amount of about $6,000.

On the local front, dentist Ross Bradford’s campaign for Chico City Council has brought in a staggering $57,496 (including a $25,000 loan to himself), clearly outdistancing second-leading fund-raiser Scott Gruendl’s $21,503. Bradford has rung up $38,019 in expenditures, compared to Gruendl’s $21,012.

Bradford’s most recent big contributors include Agasy, Inc., builders ($1,000), Maxwell Partners, business unknown ($1,000), James Paiva, farmer ($1,000), Ritchie Homes ($1,000), Mid Valley Title & Escrow ($500), Martin Finnegan, retired ($450), Italian Cottage ($300), Fit One Athletic Club ($250) and Jolene Francis, banker ($250).

Gruendl’s biggest donors include Andy Holcombe, attorney ($750), the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund ($500), Kelly Meagher, retired ($500), John and Ethel Geiger, caterers ($350) and Jon Luvaas, attorney ($350). The remainder of Gruendl’s contributions is in increments of $200 or less, with the majority under $100.

Mayor Dan Herbert has raised $18,194 and spent $11,671. Herbert’s major benefactors include Webb Homes ($1,000), Dan Hunt, president of Mid Valley Title ($600), Mid Valley Title ($600), Carolyn Dauterman, owner of Thomas Welding & Machine ($500), Rick Keene for Assembly ($500), Lewis Everett, property manager ($400), Gerald Hardesty, plastering contractors ($400) and James Ledgerwood, developer ($350).

Incumbent Maureen Kirk has raised $16,491 and spent $11,234. Kirk, too, has benefited from the generosity of Meagher ($500) and Francis the banker ($250), while the remainder of her latest contributions comes in sums of $100 or less.

Second-time candidate Barbi Boeger has $4,127, of which she’s spent $2,040. Her biggest contributor is the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 1240 ($250). The others are $100 or less.

Of the independent expenditure committees, Clear Choice, which is supporting Herbert and Bradford, has now raised $22,533 and spent $15,216. Clear Choice’s big guns are Land’s End Real Estate ($2,000), Guillon Industrial Properties ($1,000), Hardesty and Sons, Inc. ($1,000), James Paiva, the farmer ($1,000), Agasy, Inc., builders ($1,000), Fogarty Investments, developer ($700), Geoffrey Farrar, real-estate broker ($500) and V-Tech custom car part manufacturers ($500).

Chico Conservative Voters, with former Councilmember David Guzzetti as treasurer, has raised $3,293 on behalf of Kirk and Gruendl and spent $2,063.